ENCROACHMENTS
MC to target Sunday Market
Jalandhar, February 26
Having abandoned action about two years ago, the Municipal Corporation (MC) Jalandhar has plans to once again target Sunday Market wherein vendors clog the congested areas.A view of Sunday Market at the Rainak Bazaar in Jalandhar. A file photograph

20 days after public notice, no payee for property tax
Jalandhar, February 26
Even though more than 20 days have passed since the Municipal Corporation (MC) issued a notice to the residents living in houses up to 100 sq m to pay up the property tax, there has been not even a single payment received ever since.

Eve-teasing incident: Youth fires in the air
Jalandhar, February 26
A Kapurthala-based youth resorted to firing in the air after two city-based shopkeepers came to the rescue of a girl, accompanying her male friend, who was allegedly being
teased by some youths here this evening.

Police officers at the site where the firing incident took place in Jalandhar on Tuesday.
Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Dancing feetTeachers of KMV College perform a cultural programme during the annual prize distribution function held in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Protest by locker holders
Jalandhar, February 26
People whose lockers in Punjab and Sind Bank in Reru village had recently been broken open today again lodged their protest at the bank, seeking compensation from the bank and disrupting working of the bank.
Thieves had broken into the bank branch and had decamped with huge cash and valuables belonging to scores of locker hirers by cutting open the lockers
of the bank on January 18-19 night.

NGO to empower visually challenged
Jalandhar, February 26
Saksham, an NGO that has earned popularity in the region for producing talking books for the visually challenged, will hold a day-long seminar for the empowerment of the visually challenged students from various schools and colleges at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya (HMV) here tomorrow.
Dipendra Minocha, founder trustee of the NGO, based in Delhi, and himself suffering from the ailment, has plans to interact with the visually challenged students and tell them about the use of the latest interactive gizmos available for them, which can aid them in their studies, help them enhance their knowledge, get rid of any dependence on readers and change their lives for the better.

On the wrong trackThe use of railway platform by motorists for commuting near DAV College halt station has become a routine affair in Jalandhar on Tuesday. photo: Sarabjit Singh

Abducted girl rescued from UP, one held
Phagwara, February 26
The local police rescued a minor girl of nearby Nangal Khaira village and arrested a migrant factory worker, Rohit Kumar, who had allegedly abducted her, from Bahadurpur village, Rai Bareli district, Uttar Pardesh (UP).

Awareness camp on psychiatric problems starts
Jalandhar, February 26
A two-day awareness camp on psychiatric problems started at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences
(PIMS) here today. Psychiatric problems, like schizophrenia, depression, dementia and memory loss, loss in ability to concentrate and drug addiction, were discussed in detail.

Students of Kids Paradise participate in a health awareness campaign in Jalandhar on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Students of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya in a jubilant mood after the annual prize distribution function in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Jalandhar, February 26
Having abandoned action about two years ago, the Municipal Corporation (MC) Jalandhar has plans to once again target Sunday Market wherein vendors clog the congested areas around Jyoti Chowk and Rainak Bazaar, making it nearly impossible for anyone to cross the stretch.

Owing to the fact that Civil Hospital, Police Station Division Number 4 and Fire Brigade fall in the vicinity of the Bazaar, clogging of the passage becomes a major problem, especially in the event of an emergency.

Mayor Sunil Jyoti said once city markets, including Nakodar Road, Jail Road and Mai Hiran Gate, are cleared of encroachments, the next target would be Sunday Bazaar. A meeting on the issue has been convened by the tehbazari department tomorrow.

For those living around Jyoti Chowk, closing of Sunday Bazaar will be a great relief, as they claim that their movement is almost impossible at the weekends. Officials are also concerned over the fact that with the Sunday Bazaar expanding enormously over the past few years, there is need to check the growing number of vendors and hawkers.

In October-November 2010, the then Assistant Commissioner DP Bhardwaj had started action by laying nakas across all entry points in the market prohibiting any hawker from entering the area with vends. Adequate police force had also been used to ensure the strict implementation of the orders. Nearly 100 hawkers had been challaned. The drive continued for a few weeks till the vendors sought the intervention of a political leader and got it stopped.

Afternoon water supply not to be restored

The MC officials have decided not to restore the two-hour afternoon supply of water at least for another month. The supply had been snapped last month after there had been a problem in de-silting of sewage channels as the level of discharge was not going down. Mayor Sunil Jyoti is of the view to continue with water cut for at least a month or so.

He is also of the view that more water was being supplied as per the set norms, which was even leading to wastage and creating problem of treatment at the city's main disposal at Pholariwal. The Mayor, had in January, visited the treatment plant at Pholariwal, where officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewage Board had apprised him of problem of more discharge vis-a-vis the capacity of the
plant. Till January 31, the MC had been giving supply in the afternoon from 12 noon to 2 pm, which has been stopped ever since.

Jalandhar, February 26
The Rail Budget presented by Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal for the 2013-14 has failed to bring cheer to the common man as well as industrialists of the region.

A random survey by a Tribune team showed that the budget had failed to come up to the expectations of the common man. However, a few provisions made by the minister have come in for praise from rail passengers.

While educationists and industrialists demand more and frequent high-speed (bullet) and Shatabdi Express trains between Delhi-Jalandhar-Amritsar and Chandigarh-Jalandhar-Amritsar and vice versa, common passengers are of the view that the ministry should improve the sanitation in the trains.

The minister’s promise to introduce a new e-ticketing system through mobile phones, SMS alerts for reservation status and free wi-fi on select trains have made traders and regular passengers happy.

Speaking out

In rail network, India is lagging behind China. The Railways should plan high-speed trains on the pattern of China. Moreover, the fares of upper class in the super-fast trains (which are in some trains on a par with air fares) should be brought down to make the Railways more public-friendly and rationalise the
fares.

There is a desperate need for the introduction of more super fast trains between Delhi-Jalandhar-Amritsar and Chandigarh-Jalandhar-Amritsar tracks. With the introduction of such trains the state
capital of Punjab and the union capital (Delhi) would come much closer. This will not only help the students and intellectuals but also to the common man who could be back home in the evening after getting their works done at Chandigarh or Delhi and vice
versa.

— Aman Mittal, director of a private university

The Railway Budget is inflationary. The minister has proposed fuel surcharge on freight charges and surcharge on Tatkal booking, super-fast charges and reservation. The hike of surcharge will directly affect the common man's pocket, as most of trains running on long distance are of the super-fast category. The Union Railway Minister had earlier hiked the passenger fares in January. The Union Minister has only announced a number of new Express trains, increase in the frequency of some trains but failed to quote the route in the
House.

— Manoranjan Kalia, former minister, Punjab

The increase in Tatkal, sleeper and other charges have increased the rail fare per ticket from Rs 20 to Rs 120. There is need to overhaul the public conveniences (toilets) at every small and big railway station for the general passengers. The Railways have been posing a threat to environment by littering human excreta along the rail tracks. The ministry should make efforts to stop this practice by using storage tanks, which could be exchanged with the empty ones at every end
destination.

Jalandhar, February 26
Even though more than 20 days have passed since the Municipal Corporation (MC) issued a notice to the residents living in houses up to 100 sq m to pay up the property tax, there has been not even a single payment received ever since.

The authorities have even got the return forms printed, put the same on the official website and even set up a counter at Suwidha Centre for levying the tax, but ever since there only have been queries and no one has actually paid up any dues.

Since the amount of property tax to be levied from self-occupied houses of the covered area of up to 100 sq metres has already been fixed by the government, the MC officials had decided to start levying the amount. Believing it to be the biggest category of the property tax payers in the city, the MC had thought of starting to make collection well in advance. But there has been no response on the issue.

The officials are now planning to hold camps in areas like Bhargo Camp, Abadpura, Basti areas and other clusters where there are houses of smaller sizes. “Besides making people aware of our seriousness regarding levying the tax, we will also make an on-the-spot collection,” said Mayor Sunil Jyoti.

The public notice issued by the MC office read, “Since the property tax is to be levied from November 15, 2012, till March 31, 2013, the occupants of 50 sq m (equivalent to 59.8 sq yard or 538 sq feet) house should pay up only Rs 19 this time against an otherwise annually payable amount of Rs 50. Those in a house of 51 sq m to 100 sq m (119.6 sq yard or 1076 sq feet) have to pay up Rs 56 as property tax dues against annual charges of Rs 150.”

For those living in houses of larger covered areas, the zoning has been done. The details of zoning have been displayed at the entrance of the MC office for taking objections. These have even been put up on the website for the same purpose. The objections would be taken for consideration till March 13. The DC is also scheduled to hold a local level meeting to finalise the unit area rates for every property, after which the residents will exactly know how much they have to pay. Commissioner Vinay Bublani said the whole exercise would be over by March-end and the residents would have to make payments till September 30. “Those paying up early will be able to enjoy some concessions,” he added.

Jalandhar, February 26
A Kapurthala-based youth resorted to firing in the air after two city-based shopkeepers came to the rescue of a girl, accompanying her male friend, who was allegedly being
teased by some youths here this evening.

The incident occurred opposite Hotel Kings at about 5 pm when Manjinder Singh, a resident of Beas Pin, was accompanying his woman friend from Lamba Pind when two car-borne youths - Gurjit Singh and Karamjot Singh of Kapurthala - reached there and reportedly started teasing the girl.

Manjinder objected to this, which led to arguments between both the parties.

Noticing this, Gaurav Jain and Deepak Suri, who were running a printing press nearby, came to the rescue of the couple, eyewitnesses said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Cantonment area, Manpreet Singh, said that the argument took an ugly turn and the youth indulged in a scuffle.

As other shopkeepers started joining the melee, Gurjit Singh took out his pistol and fired two rounds in the air.

No case was registered in this regard till the filing of this report, as the ACP claimed that action would be initiated only after the complainants - Gaurav Jain and Deepak Suri - recorded their statements.

Jalandhar, February 26
People whose lockers in Punjab and Sind Bank in Reru village had recently been broken open today again lodged their protest at the bank, seeking compensation from the bank and disrupting working of the bank.

Thieves had broken into the bank branch and had decamped with huge cash and valuables belonging to scores of locker hirers by cutting open the lockers
of the bank on January 18-19 night.

The bank management had ensured some compensation to the victims. The victims, however, alleging non-seriousness of top officials, claimed that the management had promised to pay them compensation by February 22 but nothing had been done in this regard so far.The protesters today reached the bank and held a protest outside the main gate. — TNS

Visually challenged Dipendra Minocha, Prem Sagar and Deepika Sood, all members of NGO Saksham, talk about production of talking books for the visually challenged students in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Jalandhar, February 26
Saksham, an NGO that has earned popularity in the region for producing talking books for the visually challenged, will hold a day-long seminar for the empowerment of the visually challenged students from various schools and colleges at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya (HMV) here tomorrow.

Dipendra Minocha, founder trustee of the NGO, based in Delhi, and himself suffering from the ailment, has plans to interact with the visually challenged students and tell them about the use of the latest interactive gizmos available for them, which can aid them in their studies, help them enhance their knowledge, get rid of any dependence on readers and change their lives for the better.

"There is a great deal of information which these children must know. I am greatly pained when children tell me that they were not aware of India Today magazine being available for them in the talking version. They perhaps are also not aware of the fact that there is a website, www.oblindia.org, in which Online Braille Library has put up a list of textbooks, reference books and other books available in talking version," he said, adding that he aimed to offer them similar tips at the seminar.

Minocha recalled how he as a student of Indian classical music did not have access to all these provisions. "I started my PhD in the subject, but left it midway as I was fed up of not being able to study for more than two hours, the only time at which my reader was available to me," he said, adding that had the kind of hardwares and softwares linked with laptops and mobile phones been available to him at that time, he would have continued to study.

Deepika Sood, who runs the local chapter of the body, said she had plans to open Drishti Technology Centre for the visually challenged persons at the college. She had already got 150 textbooks for classes IX to XII and college-level courses converted into talking books, which could be loaded on mobile phone, converted to CD format or any other device for listening to. "All those visually challenged students, who have taken these books, said they want to visit my studio and see how their production is being done," she said, added that even Mehr Chand Polytechnic had offered her support by providing a recording studio on the campus for production purposes. Organisations like Jalandhar Citizens' Welfare Council have also joined Sakhsam for spreading awareness on the issue.

While appreciating the Phagwara police for the rescue, SSP, Kapurthala, Inderbir Singh told mediapersons here this evening that the accused was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh and the abducted girl rescued.

The police said the girl's father Ram Asra had lodged a complaint on February 7 that his 17-year-old daughter went to the village school on February 5, but did not return. Ram Asra raised doubts about Rohit Kumar's involvement in the missing of his daughter.

After detailed investigations the Phagwara police successfully traced the mobile phone calls of the accused and sent a police party to Uttar Pradesh, where the accused along with the abducted girl was staying with his aunt.

Both were brought to Phagwara. The girl was sent to Nari Niketan, Jalandhar.

A school student being examined for ENT problems at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences in Jalandhar on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Jalandhar, February 26
A two-day awareness camp on psychiatric problems started at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) here today. Psychiatric problems, like schizophrenia, depression, dementia and memory loss, loss in ability to concentrate and drug addiction, were discussed in detail.

Experts not only discussed these problems, but also suggested ways and means of coming out of the grip of addiction, depression and other psychiatric problems and cope up with them with family support and counselling.

Dr Sareen said, “Family support plays a major role in psychiatric problems. For example, in the case of patients suffering from dementia, the family members can help them by taking notes of daily chores, things to be remembered, give them tips for improving memory and concentration, play and interact with them.”

Experts observed that drug-addicts needed a lot of love and support from family and they should be actively involved in daily interactions. “These patients can also be made to focus their energy on sports, rather than on substances of abuse like alcohol, opium and heroin,” they said.

Meanwhile, students of Sant Raghbir Singh AIMS Public School visited the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences for medical check-up. They were examined at ENT, Eye and Dental departments.

Head of ENT Department Dr Harvinder Kumar and Dr Sonia Seth examined the students for ENT problems, while Dr Tanya Maudgill conducted their eye check-up. A team of Dr Harveen Kaur, Dr Simrata Ajrawat, Dr Sandeep Kaur and Dr Jasmine Kaur conducted their complete dental check-up and also provided them tips on oral care.